General view of people dressed as Santa Claus, a snowman and an elf inside the stadium before a Premier League match. Photo: Reuters
For millions of football fans around the world, December 26, Boxing Day, is no longer just a date on the calendar -- it is synonymous with Premier League football.
While most major European leagues shut down over Christmas and the New Year, England goes in the opposite direction, stacking the festive period with a full round of league fixtures. Over time, this relentless schedule has turned Boxing Day into one of the most recognisable traditions in the English football calendar.
For supporters, the day has its own rhythm. After Christmas celebrations, fans often spend Boxing Day at home, settling in with leftovers from the previous day while tuning in to back-to-back Premier League matches.
This year, however, the festive tradition will look strikingly different. Only one Premier League fixture has been scheduled for Boxing Day in the 2025 season -- a rare occurrence in the competition's history. The lone match will see Manchester United host Newcastle United at Old Trafford, with kickoff set for 8:00pm local time (2:00am on December 27 as per Bangladesh Time).
The holiday itself has a long history in the United Kingdom. Boxing Day falls on the day after Christmas, and is officially recognised as a bank holiday -- meaning most businesses are closed and many workers are given the day off or allowed to take an additional day of leave later.
The term "Boxing Day" dates back to 1833, when it was first coined by author Charles Dickens, although the holiday has been officially recognised since 1871. The name originated from a tradition in which employers distributed boxes of Christmas gifts to staff, particularly servants and household workers who were required to work on Christmas Day.
Although the original purpose of the holiday has largely faded -- with charity events now usually taking place before Christmas -- Boxing Day has come to be associated with two things in modern Britain: shopping and sport. Football, especially the Premier League, has become its most enduring attraction.
The link between Boxing Day and English football stretches back to the very first season of the Football League in 1888, when Derby County faced Bolton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion hosted Preston North End on the festive date. Since then, more than 4,000 English Football League matches have been staged on Boxing Day, cementing the day's place in the sport's folklore.
** West Bromwich Albion have played the most league matches on Boxing Day, featuring in 107 games with a record of 46 wins, 39 defeats and 22 draws.
** Manchester United have collected the most Boxing Day points, amassing 174 from 97 matches through 52 wins, 27 losses and 18 draws.
** Harry Kane holds the record for the most goals scored on Boxing Day, with 10 strikes.
** The highest-scoring Premier League Boxing Day match was Manchester City's 6-3 victory over Leicester City in 2021.
** The most goal-laden Boxing Day in English top-flight history came in 1963, when 66 goals were scored across 10 matches, including Fulham's 10-1 win over Ipswich Town and Blackburn Rovers' 8-2 triumph against West Ham.
